Key points:
- Issue 2 requires voters to approve future licenses in county elections
- Bringing a casino to Pope County has met years of resistance
Voters in Arkansas have approved Issue 2 during yesterday’s election, according to an Arkansas Democrat Gazette local report.
The ballot initiative sought to revoke a casino license issued in Pope County by the Arkansas Racing Commission. Issue 2 also required future casino license approvals to be determined by voters in “special countywide elections.”
However, Pope County voters said no to Issue 2. The Associated Press projected that the ballot measure was stuck down by Pope County voters by 13,391 to 10,668.
The Cherokee Nation’s bid involved building a $225m casino on its property in Russellville, Arkansas, which the Nation purchased for $35m.
Pope County Judge Ben Cross further explained the results to local news by saying, “Affirmation for me and my mayors, my city councils, my (justices of the peace), that everything that we’ve been advocating for the past six years was realized by a real vote tonight.
“Local Voters in Charge (has been) saying they want a local vote, a local vote. Well, they got one tonight, and it was definitively against their action.”
He went on to address how voters around the state responded and pointed to disinformation as a potential cause.
Cross said in closing, “We’re kind of disappointed by the fact that, I think people bought into the disinformation that was being put out … the people closest to the source of contention knew the reality of it and recognized it for the value it is, while the rest of the state bought into misleading advertising.”
Cherokee Nation Entertainment has worked for the last several years to build a casino in Pope County but has faced resistance and a series of legal setbacks in the process.
Last fall, the Arkansas Supreme Court denied the Cherokee Nation’s casino bid for its Legends Resort and Casino. The court ruled against the Tribe in a 5 to 2 decision.
